Shared Medical Appointments Gain Momentum
A recent article in The Washington Post highlighted the practice of group medical appointments and their potential to efficiently provide care to specific patient populations. Profiled were models currently in practice for patients with diabetes, women assessing their risk for breast cancer, and women at similar stages of prenatal care. Specific attention was paid to the particular utility of shared medical appointments to efficiently coach patients about behavior in the overall aim to prevent, treat, and reverse the affects of lifestyle-driven chronic illnesses.

While adopting and implementing group appointment practice can be challenging, many insurance plans and Medicare cover them through a number of billing options. The American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) reports that the family physicians offering group appointments rose from 5.7 percent in 2005 to 10 percent in 2015. AAFP provides some basic information on Coding for Group Visits that includes a brief synopsis of Medicare's current billing rules around the practice.

Shared appointments may not be a good fit for all patients, including people with hearing problems, those who don't speak the same language, have very complex or unique medical condition, or who simply may not feel comfortable in that setting. However, patients interviewed for this article indicated that they learned a great deal more in group appointments than if they met with their physician alone and ultimately came away from the visits with a sense others were facing the same problems. 
Shared medical appointments are considered a key component of an effective lifestyle medicine practice. Details and other essential insights into providing efficient and effective behavior coaching are included in the Lifestyle Medicine Core Competencies Program.
Explore Proven Methods for Improving Lifestyles of Older Adults
The 2018 Healthy Aging Summit—July 16-17 in Washington, DC—is a unique opportunity for health professionals and patients to explore the factors that influence health in the later years of life and contribute to how we approach aging in America. The focus of the program will be on maximizing the health of all older adults through prevention strategies that encourage healthy lifestyles, planning for aging, and improving the use of preventive services.

The meeting program includes tracks on: Social and Community Context, Maximizing Quality of Life, Health and Health Care, and Neighborhood and Built Environment; as well as cross-cutting themes on: technology and health IT, health equity and disparities, health literacy and cultural competency, and demographic considerations (such as urban/rural, state/local/tribal). Sessions will highlight interventions, services, supports, and strategies that optimize health and prevent, avert, or delay entry into the healthcare system.

Call for Submissions for the Hearst Health Prize for Population Health
The Hearst Health Prize, in partnership with the Jefferson College of Population Health, is now accepting applications for the 2019 award. The winner will receive a $100,000 prize, with $25,000 awarded to up to two additional finalists, in recognition of outstanding achievement in managing or improving population health.

The goal of the award is to discover, support, and showcase population health programs that have made a measurable difference. This is not a grant program. The submission deadline is August 9.
ACPM is Seeking a Program Director for Lifestyle Medicine Projects
The American College of Preventive Medicine (ACPM) is seeking a program director to manage ACPM's grant work funded through a cooperative agreement with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention related to the Diabetes Prevention Program, and assist with ACPM's Lifestyle Medicine programs. The successful candidate will be responsible for meeting all project deliverables, and acting as the primary contact for all CDC activities related to the Lifestyle Medicine grant. See the position announcement for details.
OPPORTUNITIES
Opportunities for Medicaid-Public Health Collaboration to Achieve Mutual Prevention Goals: Lessons from CDC’s 6|18 Initiative -- This webinar on June 18 (2-3pm EDT) will provide an overview of CDC’s 6|18 Initiative and highlight recent accomplishments from participating Medicaid-public health teams.
Informational Call on Diabetes Prevention through Medicare -- On this Medicare Learning Network call, June 20 (1:30-3:00pm EDT), organizers from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services will discuss the Medicare Diabetes Prevention Program (MDPP), the processes organizations and health care providers must go through to enroll as MDPP suppliers, and how to bill for services. A question and answer session will follow the presentation. Registration is required.
Call for Papers and Speakers -- YMCA of the USA and the Community Integrated Health National Collaborative are accepting speaker and paper proposals through June 22 for the 2018 Community Integrated Health Conference. Following a peer-review process, participants will be informed about selection on July 16. Complete details about each of the calls are available through the event website.
Call for Abstracts -- Abstracts addressing lifestyle medicine research and projects are being accepted for oral and poster presentation opportunities at the 1st European Lifestyle Medicine Congress, to be held November 10-11 in Geneva, Switzerland. Abstracts must be in English, no more than 300 words, and must be received no later than June 25.
Improving Medicaid Tobacco Cessation Case Study Webinar -- Join the American Lung Association June 25 (2:30-3:30pm EDT) to explore South Carolina’s successful efforts to improve their Medicaid tobacco cessation benefit. During this webinar you will hear about the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) 6ǀ18 Initiative, the partnership between South Carolina’s Medicaid office and the Department of Public Health and the how they worked together to bring a comprehensive tobacco cessation benefit to their Medicaid program.
Population Health Academy -- This 5-day continuing education program, July 16-19 in Philadelphia, provides a high-level overview of the concepts covered in Jefferson's Population Health Graduate Certificate program. Through case studies and real-life workplace applications, participants review and analyze key areas of Population Health. ACPM members may take 20% off the cost of registration—a $600 discount. Apply the 'ACPM' discount code when completing the registration form. The Academy will also be offered October 15-19 and the same discount will be available to ACPM members.
Certification through the American Board of Lifestyle Medicine -- In this webinar from the Lifestyle Medicine Education Collaborative, July 24 (2:00pm EDT), American Board of Lifestyle Medicine (ABLM) Chair, Dr. Wayne Dysinger and new ABLM certificate holder Dr. Elizabeth Morris will discuss opportunities to complete the ABLM certification and how to best align your Lifestyle Medicine training program to prepare students for the ABLM.
Clinicians Culinary Health Education Fundamentals (CHEF) Coaching Program -- Join The CHEF Coaching Program and become part of the growing Culinary Coaching Community! Connect with practitioners, enhance your coaching skills, and increase your cooking confidence. The next remote cohort starts September 12. The small cohort groups sell out quickly, so early registration is suggested. To learn more about CHEF coaching with the founding director Dr. Ran Polak, view a recent introduction session video. For more information about the Clinicians CHEF coaching and registration, see the program website or contact the organizers at: chefcoaching@instituteoflifestylemedicine.org.
RESEARCH / NEWS
A Resource Center for Implementing CDC’s 6|18 Initiative -- This new website offers a robust set of practical resources for Medicaid, public health, and managed care organizations; an interactive map of 6|18 Initiatives activities across the country; profiles of select state accomplishments; and condition-specific resources; among many other tools. -- Center for Health Care Strategies, Inc.
Mayo Clinic publishes new edition of Family Health Book -- The Mayo Clinic Family Health Book is based on the premise that knowledge gives people the tools to maintain good health,. From infancy to old age, from prevention to treatment, from standard practices to integrative medicine, the book provides easy-to-understand information to help patients communicate more effectively with their health care providers. -- Mayo Clinic
Loneliness is bad for the heart -- European Society of Cardiology
Girls, Young Women Fall Short on Exercise -- U.S. News & World Report
The Doctor Is Cooking -- The New York Times
Philadelphians Drink Less Sugary Soda, More Water, After Tax -- Researchers found that Philadelphians were about 40 percent less likely to drink sweetened beverages daily after the tax went into effect, compared with people in the other cities. -- NPR
42,000 Americans die each year of opioid overdose. Government looks the other way. -- An independent drug watchdog organization has created an infographic on scale and impact of the opioid epidemic in the United States. -- DrugWatcher
Pharmacies give grocers a competitive advantage -- As consumers look to eat healthier and grocers amp up their selection of fresh produce, better-for-you meals and other selections, the pharmacy becomes a natural extension of a grocer’s core mission — and not just an outpost for filling prescriptions. This is why retailers are working hard to make their pharmacies even more visible, and to tie them together with their other food and health offerings. -- Food Dive
Share your lifestyle medicine news, research, and upcoming events with your colleagues. Submit information to ACPM's Dani Pere at dpere@acpm.org .
MEETINGS
U.S. Chamber of Commerce
June 14; Washington, DC
National Wellness Institute
June 18-20; Saint Paul, MN
ACPM's Dani Pere will be presenting on lifestyle medicine and related topics.
The Institute of Lifestyle Medicine / Spaulding Rehabilitation Network
June 22-23; Boston, MA
ACPM will have a booth at this meeting!
British Society of Lifestyle Medicine
June 23; Edinburgh, United Kingdom
ACPM representatives will be in attendance!
HHS / ACPM
July 16-17; Washington, DC
Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine
August 17-19; Brisbane, Australia
American College of Lifestyle Medicine
October 21-24; Indianapolis, IN
American Board of Lifestyle Medicine
October 25; Indianapolis, IN
European Lifestyle Medicine Organization
November 10-11; Geneva, Switzerland
ACPM representatives will be in attendance!
Institute of Lifestyle Medicine
December 6-8; Waltham, MA
Lifestyle Medicine Tools for Promoting Healthy Change
Institute of Lifestyle Medicine
May 2-4, 2019
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